ITV has confirmed a Bridgerton actress is leading the cast for a new crime drama.
Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh stars in the new series (Image: NETFLIX)
ITV viewers have been left declaring they “can’t wait” as a new crime drama has been announced.
Following the success of ITV crime dramas including The Blame, starring Michelle Keegan, and Trigger Point’s return for a fourth season, ITV has announced a new six-part series, Protect and Serve.
It is set to star Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh as a detective determined to pursue the truth, regardless of the obstacles in her path. ITV has teased: “This bittersweet police drama explores the pressures faced by DI Araba Dadzie, a cop, a mother and a daughter.
“She’s a woman in that squeezed middle, juggling profession, elderly parents and children, and a woman of colour in the police force, who has risen through the ranks of her profession and knows what it costs for her to stay there. Protect and Serve draws Araba into the national scandal of Britain’s unregulated children’s care homes, a scandal she cannot ignore.”
Set in Leeds, the series sees DI Araba Dadzie embark on an investigation into a tragedy after a teenage boy is shot dead, having been living in a privately owned children’s care home with his brother since his grandfather fell ill Determined to discover why he was targeted and the motives behind his death, Araba and her team piece together parts of his life.
ITV goes on to tease: “With a reputation as a fearsome investigator, it’s taken unrelenting focus, a bleak sense of humour, a passionate love for the job and personal sacrifice for Araba to stay at the top of her game. Uncompromising and often obsessive, she is driven by her desire to offer protection to the vulnerable and retribution to those criminally abusing their power in the city she loves.”
Adjoa said: “How does a woman juggle an aging father, a chippy student daughter and a non-existent sex life, while investigating murders as a black female cop. That’s the lot of DI Araba Dadzie, Senior Investigation Officer on a Homicide and Major Enquiry Team in central Leeds. It’s a job that costs, a job that we the public need, and in spite of the challenges, it’s a job Araba feels called to, much like a priest or a teacher.
“Protect and Serve our crime show is set in the great city of Leeds. I love this city and I love the city’s football club Leeds United. I lived in Leeds as a child and half my English family have been Yorkshire sheep farmers going back to the 1600’s – hence the setting.
“I am thrilled by the team behind Protect and Serve. Polly Hill at ITV, Big Talk Studios, Jenny van der Lande, and fabulous writer Helen Black of Time fame. As mothers the national disgrace of our unregulated children’s homes is something we are all shocked by.
“How do we as a society protect our children? It’s a question that drives Araba, that drives our first season and with amazing director Nimer Rashed at the helm, hot off Netflix’ Harlen Coben thrillers, the highs and lows of this propulsive cop show, we hope, will drive audiences to keep watching and caring.”
ITV Director of Drama Polly Hill added: “I’m delighted to commission Protect and Serve as I have been wanting to find a show with Adjoa Andoh for some time. We have a shared ambition, together with Big Talk, to make a great police series that also has something to say.
“Helen Black’s scripts uncover the scandal in privatised children’s care homes while Araba lets us see what cost there is to becoming a high ranking black policewoman. It’s a show we are very proud to be making for ITV with such a great team.”
After the series was announced, one fan said: “So excited for this.” Another wrote: “Yes another decent drama.” “This will be good!” another wrote, as someone else echoed: “I can’t wait!” “ITV you win,” yet another added.